The team at the Driftwood Spars in St Agnes, Cornwall, are reflecting on yet another successful year of community fundraising.
Driftwood Spars landlady Louise Treseder
And as Mental Health Awareness Week gets under way,they’re looking to build on their success, including substantial donations to three local mental health organisations.
“Every year, our team comes together to brainstorm ideas and nominate organisations that resonate with us personally,” said Driftwood Spars landlady Louise Treseder.
“After discussion, we cast our votes to select the charity that will benefit. At the start of 2023 there was wide agreement that mental health should be the focus of our fundraising efforts.”
With all 2023 events reviewed, cash counted, and end-of-year beer sales signed off, Louise and her team have announced donations of £2,500 to Georgia’s Voice, £2,500 to Man Down, and £1,000 to True Butterflies Foundation.
The total of £6,000 represents a huge effort from the pub team and their regular customers. They organise and attend quiz nights, raffles, barbecues, and an unwanted Christmas gift exchange. On top of this, 10p from every pint of Spars beer (pictured below) sold goes into the fundraising pot.
Louise said: “The pervasiveness of poor mental health affects so many aspects of life, interconnecting with issues like local housing, food and fuel poverty, and rural isolation.
“As a hub for the community — where people feel they can come and connect with others — we’re helping by raising awareness, nurturing a sense of belonging, and funding our fantastic grassroots organisations to do their amazing work.”
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is Movement: Moving more for our mental health.
Louise said: “At The Driftwood we initiated a monthly Menopause Support Group which now meets in Chacewater Village Hall every month. The support group will look at movement for mental health during the menopause amongst other things. We also have regular staff and customer sea swims, which is a lovely way to bring people together and gives us all a mental health boost.”
This year’s fundraising is already under way of course, and the next recipients will be Transformation Food Bank, an organisation dedicated to providing vital support to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
